Matthew Perry To Star In Scott Silveri's NBC Comedy Pilot 'Go On'

Friends alum Matthew Perry is returning to NBC and reuniting with former Friends co-showrunner Scott Silveri. Perry is set to star in and co-executive produce Go On, a single-camera NBC comedy pilot written by Silveri and directed by Todd Holland. Produced by Universal TV, Go On centers on an irreverent yet charming sportscaster (Perry) who, trying to move on from a loss, finds surprising solace from the members of his mandatory support group. “Scott has written a very funny, touching pilot,” said Perry, who was approached for several pilots this season both on the comedy and drama side. “I’m very excited to be working with him again. I asked him to turn this into an ice show. He said no. We have picked up right where we left off.”

Silveri wrote the script for Perry without actually intending to. “When I started writing the character, no matter who I was thinking of at 9 AM, by 10 AM I was writing with Matthew’s voice,” Silveri said. Despite doing it subconsciously, writing for Perry felt natural. “Writing for him (on Friends) was one of the great creative experiences of my life,” he said. Needless to say, when NBC picked up Go On to pilot, Silveri’s first choice for the lead was Perry. “Thank god he was open to it,” Silveri said, adding, “Matthew is a mightily talented actor and one of our great comedic voices. He and I worked together for eight wonderful years on Friends. I’m thrilled for this opportunity for him to learn my name.”

While a half-hour comedy, Go On has a dramatic component. That also appears tailor-made for Perry, who has starred both in comedy and drama series. “He is one of those rare guys, an actor who can inspire such empathy and play such heart in one moment and the next make you laugh harder than anyone else on the planet,” Silveri said. He and Holland executive produce Go On with Karey Burke. Perry, repped by CAA, Doug Chapin Management and Surpin & Mayersohn, recently starred in the ABC comedy series Mr. Sunshine and is next doing an arc on the CBS drama The Good Wife. On Go On, he joins previously cast Julie White and Suzy Nakamura.

22 Comments

Scott fan • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

Go Scott!! This is going to be a great show.

butseriously • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

Agreed! It is an awesome script!

Matthew • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

Now I really hope this gets picked up and I really hope it has success. I just Love Matthew Perry I loved him in Friends (that’s a no brainier I mean who didn’t right?), I loved him in studio 60, and I loved him in Mr. Sunshine and I am almost certain I will love him in this role.

Chandler Bingo • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

The cold cruel reality is that nobody wants to watch Matthew Perry unless he’s Chandler Bing. Mr. Sunshine proved this fact. Just do a spinoff show titled Chandler in Charge. Then you will have a hit show. It will be much better than Joey was because that was awful it was idiotic.

Susie • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

I would totally watch ‘Chandler In Charge’.

No • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

Because your idea is just brilliant.

Sean M • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

relax, No. it’s funny cause it’s true. and i’d watch it, too.

Monica • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

But first we need Cougar Town to get cancelled and Cast her in it to!

Monica • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

Oops And Cast Courtney Cox in it to! :p

Wrong Decision Mr. Bing • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

Mr. Perry doesn’t get it that he’s only going to be successful in a multi-cam like Friends.

This is going to bomb!

anotherwgamember • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

Isn’t this “Dear John?”

Roger • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

He’s had enough time off. Would love to see him back.

Anonymous • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

I think this show has great potential. Perry is funny, but Mr. Sunshine was just a little to dour. Oddly enough, this pilot about moving on from a death seems a little more uplifting. Good luck.

If you avoid these three simple traps, your chances of making a better quality product go up dramatically! Carry on —

Sean M • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

funny script. but what’s with so many pilots with recently dead significant others or being set in radio stations this year? i can think of 3 or 4 of each and that’s just from the handful of scripts i’ve read.

Kenneth DeLozier • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

I think Mathew Perry if funny. He was good in those whole nine and ten yards movies and I enjoyed Mister Sunshine. good luck to him on this project. I’ll watch it.

JJ • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

Ugh. Why? How many shows does be have to fail in for folks to understand he’s NOT a star. He’ll only do well as part of an ensemble.

Paco • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

Think Matthew Perry should have held out for a cable show on Starz or Netflix where ratings won’t matter. He’s a good enough actor, but don’t really think people are interested in him anymore.

Waitforit • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

Matthew is incredibly talented and may have found the perfect vehicle. Silveri is a dangerously smart, funny guy, great writer and decent human being. Good things should happen.

jake • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

Why is it not multi camera? and why in the world can’t it be a broader premise? This does not sound like a mass appeal sitcom and perry deserves to be in a major hit. He’s a great comedic actor.

Chrispy • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

No, he’s had enough chances on TV and his last two shows bombed. Time to give someone else a chance.

Amy • on Mar 1, 2012 12:15 pm

Agree that it’s time for Matthew Perry to move away from the networks and try make a foray into cable television. As others have noted, he is a talented actor, but his talents would be far more suited to the dramedies of HBO/Showtime than to the current breed of network sitcoms.